The wolf is the largest wild animal of the dog family.Grey woves are the most common of all wolf species. The DNA of a wolf suggests that it shares its genes with the domestic dog. Wolves have very powerful backs and legs and narrow chests which helps them to move, they also rely more on their stamina then speed when it comes to hunting. They have been known to go as fast as 65 kilometers an hour during a chase.
The paws of a wolf are able to walk on a wide variety of terrains especially snow.Their paws have a small webbing between the toes, which helps them to move over snow easier then their prey.
Habitat
A wolf lives in packs or families which usually consist of 6 to 10 wolves. One female and male are the dominant pair and are in charge of the pack. The area that the wolf pack live in usually consist of about 20-120 square miles. Wolves don't enter the area of another pack as they use scent messages or they howl so that another wolf does not enter there territory. A wolf is dependant on shelter and enough food to decide on a place to live. Wolves are commonly found near a water source. Wolves a mostly found in the northern hemisphere.
Species
The grey wolf is the most common species of the wolf family. It is the largest wolf weighing up to 175 lb. Most Grey wolves live in the colder climate, the ones who live in the hotter climate are 50 lb which makes them a lot smaller in size.
The red wolf lives in the Southeastern United states they were extinct in the wild in 1980 about 20 remained until the United states fish and wildlife service put the remaining wolves in captivity to bred them which is slowly increasing there numbers. About 100 remain.
The Ethiopian wolf is the rarest and the most endangered wolf in the world. It resembles the size and shape of a coyote. Males a slightly larger then females.
The maned wolf is now considered endangered and is now believed to be extinct of surviving in very low numbers. The wolves are red with long black legs and when there pups are born they are black with a white tip tail.
The dire wolf roamed the earth 9,000 years ago. They looked like the grey wolf but there heads were slightly larger and so were there teeth. There legs were shorter then the grey wolf.
Evolution
Over 50 million years ago there evolved a group of carnivours known as the Miacidae these animals evolved from the cretaceous period. Many paleontologists strongly believe that the Miacidae are ancestors of the canidae which includes wolves, dogs and foxes.
Structual adaptation one
The grey wolf is the largest wild canine. The wolves have wooly and long fur to provide insulation. Wolves have large paws with fleshy pads and claws to provide better support in snow. Wolves hunt large animals such as deer, elk and moose. Wolves are social animals and they work together to catch their prey. One wolf pack will usually never take in a wolf from another pack and instead they kill them. Wolves are slim, strong animals with large low ribcages and curved backs.
Structual adaptation two
Wolves have a heightened sense of hearing and smell, which is over 100 times better then a humans. A wolf cannot see in colour but they have enhanced night vision and are very sensitive to movement. Wolves can run over 40 miles p/h. There jaws can deliver a crushing pressure of over 500 lb. The maximum lifespand of a wolf is 17 years.
Behaviourial adaptation one
Female wolves reach maturity at 1 year and males at 2. Wolves mate once a year between January and March. Only the lead male and female of the pack will mate which is another reason why the wolf population is decreasing. The amount of pups born in a litter is usually around 5 or 6. When a wolf pup is born they weigh around 1 lb. They stay in the den with their mother for about 9 weeks until they are weaned. The other wolves in the pack bring food for the mother and pups.
Behaviourial adaptation two
Wolves let other animals know when they enter the wolf territory by howling while holding it's head upright. They aso will howl when they are ready to mate, when they are about to go for a hunt. A wolf uses barking when trying to warn of danger like when a mother barks her pups will know there's danger.
Future Wolf
Ancient Wolf
General knowledge
The wolf is the largest wild animal of the dog family.Grey woves are the most common of all wolf species. The DNA of a wolf suggests that it shares its genes with the domestic dog. Wolves have very powerful backs and legs and narrow chests which helps them to move, they also rely more on their stamina then speed when it comes to hunting. They have been known to go as fast as 65 kilometers an hour during a chase.
The paws of a wolf are able to walk on a wide variety of terrains especially snow.Their paws have a small webbing between the toes, which helps them to move over snow easier then their prey.
Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Family: Canidae
Genus: Canis
Habitat
A wolf lives in packs or families which usually consist of 6 to 10 wolves. One female and male are the dominant pair and are in charge of the pack. The area that the wolf pack live in usually consist of about 20-120 square miles. Wolves don't enter the area of another pack as they use scent messages or they howl so that another wolf does not enter there territory. A wolf is dependant on shelter and enough food to decide on a place to live. Wolves are commonly found near a water source. Wolves a mostly found in the northern hemisphere.
Species
The grey wolf is the most common species of the wolf family. It is the largest wolf weighing up to 175 lb. Most Grey wolves live in the colder climate, the ones who live in the hotter climate are 50 lb which makes them a lot smaller in size.
The red wolf lives in the Southeastern United states they were extinct in the wild in 1980 about 20 remained until the United states fish and wildlife service put the remaining wolves in captivity to bred them which is slowly increasing there numbers. About 100 remain.
The Ethiopian wolf is the rarest and the most endangered wolf in the world. It resembles the size and shape of a coyote. Males a slightly larger then females.
The maned wolf is now considered endangered and is now believed to be extinct of surviving in very low numbers. The wolves are red with long black legs and when there pups are born they are black with a white tip tail.
The dire wolf roamed the earth 9,000 years ago. They looked like the grey wolf but there heads were slightly larger and so were there teeth. There legs were shorter then the grey wolf.
Evolution
Over 50 million years ago there evolved a group of carnivours known as the Miacidae these animals evolved from the cretaceous period. Many paleontologists strongly believe that the Miacidae are ancestors of the canidae which includes wolves, dogs and foxes.
Structual adaptation one
The grey wolf is the largest wild canine. The wolves have wooly and long fur to provide insulation. Wolves have lar
Structual adaptation two
Wolves have a heightened sense of hearing and smell, which is over 100 times better then a humans. A wolf cannot see in colour but they have enhanced night vision and are very sensitive to movement. Wolves can run over 40 miles p/h. There jaws can deliver a crushing pressure of over 500 lb. The maximum lifespand of a wolf is 17 years.
Behaviourial adaptation one
Female wolves reach maturity at 1 year and males at 2. Wolves mate once a year between January and March. Only the lead male and female of the pack will mate which is another reason why the wolf population is decreasing. The amount of pups born in a litter is usually around 5 or 6. When a wolf pup is born they weigh around 1 lb. They stay in the den with their mother for about 9 weeks until they are weaned. The other wolves in the pack bring food for the mother and pups.
Behaviourial adaptation two
Wolves let other animals know when they enter the wolf territory by howling while holding it's head upright. They aso will howl when they are ready to mate, when they are about to go for a hunt. A wolf uses barking when trying to warn of danger like when a mother barks her pups will know there's danger.
Physiological adaptation
Even though dogs have evoulved from wolves they have a number of differences between them. One of the main differences is between the teeth and skull. Wolves teeth are larger in proportion and bigger then dogs.
Bibligraphy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray_Wolf
www.bio.davidson.edu/people/vecase/behavior/.../**habitat**.htm
http://shadowwolf.stormpages.com/species.html
http://www.naturalworlds.org/wolf/history/evolution.htm
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/gray_wolf.htm